It incorrectly states that the Italian president can neither dissolve Parliament and call for an election in the last two months of his term, nor appoint a prime minister in the same period.

Actually the Italian president can appoint a prime minister until the very last day of his term, while he cannot dissolve Parliament in the last six months of his term (the so-called white semester).

The editorial also fails to mention that the main cause of the political instability is former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, the greatest anomaly of the Italian political system. The editorial might not have been written in time to mention President Giorgio Napolitano’s appointment of Enrico Letta as new prime minister.

francesco formiconi

tokyo

The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer’s own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.